Columns

I think about food so much this time of the year because vegetables abound and broilers and lambs are on pasture. I have a deep appreciation for homegrown food and this includes making it look pretty when it is served for a meal, especially when we have guests.

Throughout our history, more than 1 million Americans have lost their lives serving our country. Memorial Day gives us the opportunity to remember the men and women who sacrificed everything to protect the freedoms we enjoy today.

While communities throughout the state will be celebrating Memorial Day in their own ways, it is important that we remember the true meaning of the holiday: to honor our service members who gave their last full measure of devotion to our nation.

It is going to be an important week for the Benedictine monks of Saint Meinrad Archabbey, who will elect their 10th abbot Thursday. And while there won’t be a Vatican-style chimney puffing white smoke to signal the election of a new abbot, there will be bells … and a lot of tradition.

Indiana’s part in this election season is over, for now. Much has been said of how unique this past primary was, as Hoosier votes were poised to be decisive in the race. Indeed, Donald J. Trump’s resounding victory here, both in the county and statewide, effectively ended any remaining resistance to his becoming the nominee of his party.

Once again, we enjoyed sweet potatoes all winter long from a fantastic harvest last fall. I planted out about 25 organic slips purchased from Country Corner Greenhouse in Shepherdsville in late May. By early November, we had four nursery crates full of one of nature’s perfect foods. Seven months and counting in storage with no spoilage is impressive.

We are down to about a dozen sweet potatoes, just in time for a transition to other summer vegetables.

When most anglers think of attracting crappie to a hook, they think minnows or jigs, or maybe a combination of both. They don’t think crankbaits.

This old writer is in that group. Crankbaits never crossed my mind. I never heard of using a sizable bait like a crankbait to troll for crappie until a couple years ago while fishing with several outdoor writer friends prior to a crappie tournament at Kentucky Lake.